The Heart-Knocking Bell

Ye Yan nearly finished searching Julie, who was unconscious.

His fingers brushed over the hidden pocket at her waist and touched a warm metal object. It was a finely crafted silver bell, its surface etched with mysterious runes that glimmered faintly red in the moonlight.

When Ye Yan held it, it felt like he was cradling a breathing heart.

A strange, unidentified item.

Ye Yan stored the bell in his Consciousness Space.

[Heart-Knocking Bell]

[Category: Tier-One Curio]

[We never cease beyond Yindun.]

[Aspect: Heart]

Just as he had expected, the bell he'd found on Julie was a Curio, and its Aspect was a Principle he had never encountered before.

The Doctrine of Heart was tied to skin and anatomy. It was an unstoppable force in adversity.

It represented longevity and continuity, life and protection. It was an endless drumbeat and dance, throbbing without pause to protect the world's outer skin.

A seemingly benevolent Principle.

Ye Yan pondered this.

He used the word "seemingly" because not everything in the description of the Doctrine of Heart was positive.

The prompt had also made the Heart-Knocking Bell's function clear to him.

Ringing the Heart-Knocking Bell would briefly throw anyone who heard it into a state of confusion. The price was that the user would suffer the same confusion seven days later.

Still, compared to the Shell-Opening Blade, that price seemed rather insignificant.

However, the Shell-Opening Blade's ability to "open doors" was far beyond the Heart-Knocking Bell's.

Then again, of all the Curios he'd encountered, the Shell-Opening Blade was the only one that had made him feel there was a real soul inside it.

He strongly suspected that the Shell-Opening Blade was higher than Tier One.

The other Curios all had their own unique qualities, but none had ever given him the sense that it was conscious.

However, since he couldn't store it in his Consciousness Space, Ye Yan had no way to confirm his theory.

"Sir?" Daphne's voice brought him back to reality.

Ye Yan shook his head and took a pair of silver handcuffs issued by the Administration from his pocket. The cuffs tightened automatically when they touched Julie's wrists, locking her hands securely.

"Let's go," he said quietly to Daphne as he lifted Julie onto his back. The witch was lighter than he'd expected. Her long hair fell over his shoulder, carrying a faint scent of mandrake.

Daphne's figure flickered beneath the moonlight.

"Sir, if she wakes up early..."

"Knock her out again," Ye Yan answered without hesitation.

"As you wish, sir."

The journey home felt especially long.

The night wind swept up fallen leaves and sent them swirling around the three of them.

When the familiar light of the porch lamp came into view, Ye Yan unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

The moment the door opened, Uncle Jules's expression was priceless. His eyebrows nearly shot up to his hairline.

Jules narrowed his eyes and studied the unconscious Julie.

"Well, well." He whistled, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "I always knew this day would come, but my dear nephew, you shouldn't go picking up pretty women off the street."

Of course, he knew his nephew's situation.

That body in its twenties housed the soul of a minor.

But what did that matter?

In all his years roaming the seas, he'd seen plenty of alluring women throw themselves at men.

Besides...

Jules glanced sideways at Ye Yan's reddening ears.

With his nephew's bashful nature, who knew which of them had taken advantage of the other?

Ye Yan felt a headache coming on.

The words "Well done" were written all over Jules's narrowed eyes. If he didn't explain himself soon, his uncle was probably already imagining all sorts of steamy scenes.

"She attacked me earlier."

Ye Yan cut Jules's daydreams short with a blunt reply.

The effect was immediate.

In fact, a little too immediate.

Jules's smile froze. A dagger shot out from his sleeve, its point aimed straight at Julie's back.

"Wait!" Ye Yan dodged to the side, but the blade slashed a hole in Julie's skirt.

Jules's dagger paused.

The amusement in his eyes had vanished, replaced by deep concern and murderous intent.

"Foolish nephew, don't let a pretty woman fool you. The prettier they are, the more dangerous they are. When I was a sailor, I saw sea snakes that were less vicious than women. They can kill you right there in bed!"

"It's not what you think." Ye Yan sighed helplessly.

He dropped Julie from his back onto the floor, then lowered his voice. "She's from Witch Lane. I need to use her to make a deal with them, so she can't die."

Jules spat viciously.

"I knew it! That woman's dressed like a hussy!"

Ye Yan watched as Uncle Jules circled the unconscious witch, examining her as carefully as he might inspect a rope on deck.

Then he suddenly crouched down and roughly pulled open the front of Julie's dress.

Ye Yan was about to stop him when Jules drew a silver needle wrapped in black hair from a hidden lining.

"See? Women have plenty of places to hide things!" Jules said proudly, waving the faintly glowing weapon. "Pay attention, you little fool!"

Before Ye Yan could answer, Jules dragged Julie into the living room.

Jules dumped her on the floor and rushed into his room. A moment later, he came back dragging a bundle of anchor chains.

With practiced ease, he wrapped Julie up like a dumpling. The heavy chains went around her slender waist three times, and he locked the anchor at the end directly to one of the living room's support columns.

Ye Yan hesitated.

"Uncle Jules, isn't this a bit..."

"I've already shown restraint!" Jules waved him off without a care. "This woman attacked you. The fact that I didn't kill her is already a kindness."

"Oh, right! I almost forgot!"

He hurried back into his room again and returned with a roll of medical bandages.

"Wrap this around her mouth." Jules grinned as his fingers nimbly unrolled the bandage. "I guarantee she won't be able to recite any spells..."

Ye Yan's mouth twitched.

Did Uncle Jules have some kind of treasure trove hidden in his room? How could he pull out absolutely anything?

"Don't tie it too tightly." Seeing Jules about to wrap the bandage around Julie's mouth for a third time, Ye Yan quickly grabbed his hand. "I arranged to meet Witch Lane in three days. We'll have to untie her during that time so she can eat."

"Fine." Jules reluctantly let go.

He stroked the stubble on his chin, then suddenly brightened. "We can't keep watch over this witch the whole time. I'm thinking of borrowing a hound from the Administration. With a hound here, things will be a lot easier for us."

Ye Yan nodded. "You're right."

He lowered his gaze to the shadow at his feet and called softly, "Daphne."

The shadow rippled like water, and the heterochromatic-eyed girl's figure slowly emerged. Her body had already begun to turn translucent; her summoning time was clearly almost up.

"Your time is nearly up," Ye Yan said gently. "Go home and see your mother while you still can."

Daphne nodded slightly. Her figure gradually faded like the morning mist, leaving behind only a soft, "Good night, sir."